Interview with Haris Karamanos, AKEL Central Organisational Secretary and member of the Political Bureau
● AKEL is not a party of empty promises; it is a party of assertions
● Where others talk about “growth,” people see their wallets are empty
● People want reliable, serious, and responsible people to represent them in Parliament
QUESTION: What is the key message AKEL wants to convey to society through its election campaign and how does it respond to criticism that it has not yet fully regained the trust of broader sections of the electorate?
AKEL’s key message is simple, clear, and concerns people’s daily lives. AKEL’s strength is to become a force for society. At a time when people are struggling with rising costs, high rents, low wages, and insecurity, the question isn’t who speaks the most eloquent words. The question is who can stand up to powerful interests, the banks and oligopolies and offer solutions.
AKEL is not a party of promises. It is a party of assertion and struggle. It is the force that spoke out for taxing the banks’ windfall profits, that pushed for a reduction in VAT on electricity, that put measures on the table regarding housing, foreclosures, and inflation. And to put it simply: where others see “growth,” the people see empty wallets.
To those who say that AKEL has not fully regained people’s trust, we respond directly: trust is not restored with slogans. It is restored through consistency, through your presence, through a clear stance. People want reliable, serious, and responsible individuals to represent them in Parliament. And AKEL is the force that did not hide, did not compromise, and did not change its line and policy to become likable. Because at the end of the day, political engagement is not about marketing. It is a way of life.
QUESTION: With the ongoing scandals coming to light in Cyprus, what specific measures does AKEL propose to strengthen transparency and accountability and how can it convince the public that it is a credible alternative for governance?
Society is angry, and rightly so. It sees scandals, it sees collusion and entanglement, it sees favouritism and clientelism, but it rarely sees accountability.
The shameful video featuring associates of Nikos Christodoulides, for example, was not some “momentary mistake.” It was a clear reflection of how a system operates behind closed doors, with mechanisms designed to serve vested interests, shady funding, and preferential treatment of business circles.
AKEL makes one thing clear: there is no democracy without accountability. And there is no accountability when specific forces/circles are above reproach.
And that is precisely why we don’t engage in empty talk, but we propose and submit specific measures:
• Full transparency in the funding of organizations.
• Mandatory disclosure of donors and those truly eligible.
• Strict and enforceable framework regarding any conflict of interest.
• Strengthening of independent oversight institutions with real powers
•Substantive parliamentary scrutiny, not merely symbolic.
AKEL is the force that pushed for investigations and revelations ranging from the “golden passports” scandal to the black spy van and the relations between political power and powerful interests. We hold the same position now regarding the investigation of the matters raised by M. Drousiotis: namely that a full and impartial investigation must be carried out.
The difference is simple. Others manage corruption. AKEL confronts it. And when it comes to credibility, the answer is clear. People don’t want more talk. They want rules that apply to everyone and the political will to enforce them.
QUESTION: What is AKEL’s position on the British Bases’ intention to install new antennas at Akrotiri? Do you believe that the Republic of Cyprus has the means to respond effectively?
AKEL strongly opposes and denounces the decision by the British Bases in Akrotiri to install a new cluster of 32 antennas and expropriate 340 square meters of land. This is not a technical development; it represents a further militarization of an already burdened area.
We recall that in 2018, 18 antennas were installed with the commitment that they would be temporary and removed by 2025, a promise that was not kept. This alone proves that the Bases’ commitments cannot be taken for granted. We join our voices with the Municipality of Kourion and the citizens who are protesting. The local community cannot continue to bear alone the burden of decisions taken without its input and to its detriment.
The issue is not merely environmental or urban planning-related. It is deeply political and concerns our country’s security, as the added militarization renders Cyprus a target, btu also endangers public health, with serious concerns already well-documented. The Republic of Cyprus is not some passive onlooker. It must utilize all the diplomatic and political means at its disposal. We call on President Nicos Christodoulides and the government to act immediately and decisively to reverse this decision.
QUESTION: In a political landscape that is becoming increasingly fragmented, what is AKEL’s strategy for expanding its influence and playing a leading role in political developments over the coming years?
In a fragmented political landscape, it’s not the one who shouts the loudest who wins. It’s the one who addresses the real problems people face. And that’s precisely where AKEL has the advantage. Our positions address the issues that are burning in society, and we propose solutions.
Our top priority is a social agenda: addressing the cost of living that is crushing households, wages that don’t cover essential needs, skyrocketing rents, and electricity and fuel prices that are suffocating people. This is precisely where AKEL has credibility, because it has always stood by working people and the middle strata—not just with words, but with concrete proposals.
At the same time, as far as the Cyprus problem is concerned, we remain the force of responsibility and consistency. At a time when other forces/circles refrain from taking a clear position, we insist on a solution of the Cyprus problem and a vision, because without a solution there is no future. And one more crucial point: in a society outraged by corruption and impunity, AKEL is the force that combats these phenomena.
Our efforts to increase our influence is based on three pillars.
First, rallying our base; second, winning back those who have become disillusioned; and third, reaching out to the broader progressive spectrum through forging cooperation and social alliances, in which the Social Alliance plays a vital and significant role. Because what is at stake is not simply to record a higher percentage. It is for AKEL to become the catalyst for political change.
The stronger AKEL is, the louder the voice of society will be. Because at the end of the day, people aren’t just looking for an opposition party. They’re looking for hope and solutions to change their lives. And AKEL has both the solutions and the hope.
QUESTION: In view of the upcoming meeting on Monday between President Nicos Christodoulides and [the Turkish Cypriot leader] Tufan Erhürman, what do you consider to be the prospects for substantive progress on the Cyprus problem, and what should the Greek Cypriot side do differently?
No one should have any illusions that a meeting alone will solve the Cyprus problem. It can, however, indicate whether there is a prospect for progress to be recorded. There is room for progress. All that is needed is political will and determination.
AKEL is saying something very specific: Without consistency to the agreed framework for a solution of the Cyprus problem, there is no prospect. The solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality is not “AKEL’s opinion.” It is the agreed-upon framework of the United Nations. And if we do not defend it with consistency, we are simply leaving room for partition to become entrenched.
The critical question is the following.
Do we truly want a resumption of the talks, or are we merely managing the ongoing impasse surrounding the Cyprus problem?
The Greek Cypriot side must take initiatives that should seek to send a clear message: namely, that we want a solution, reunification, that we are ready to negotiate from where we left off at Crans Montana in 2027, that we are not afraid of dialogue. Because inaction isn’t something without consequences. Inaction on the Cyprus problem works in favour of partition.
AKEL is not a party of empty promises; it is a party of assertions
